


A Rainy Night in Kirkwall

by xxMad_Donaxx



Series: Soul Mates [5]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Demisexuality, Fluff, M/M, Our boys being smart for once and talking about things, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 05:51:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17054357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxMad_Donaxx/pseuds/xxMad_Donaxx
Summary: Carver makes a trip to see Anders during a nasty storm and they talk a few things out.





	A Rainy Night in Kirkwall

**Author's Note:**

> Summaries are hard. =(

Carver hunched against the driving rain as he trudged up the stairs to the apartment his brother shared with Anders. He was pretty sure Garrett would be at work but he knew Anders was home. Since his graduation party earlier in the summer he always knew where the mage was at. There were a lot of other things he sometimes knew about Anders but right now all he wanted was to be in the same room with him. The pull he felt was only partly coming from his soulmate. He wanted to see Anders as much as Anders wanted to see him. That was probably the only thing that could have gotten him going with the towering thunderheads looming threateningly overhead.

The door to the apartment opened before he got to it and Carver gratefully hurried inside. Carver moved over, careful to stay on the vinyl part of the floor, so Anders could shut the door. A towel was tossed onto his head and he started scrubbing his hair while he dripped water everywhere. Whatever Anders had been watching droned on in the background.

“Maker you’re soaked,” Anders said. “You didn’t walk all the way from the estate did you?”

“Nah,” Carver replied moving the towel so he could see Anders. “I was at a friend’s house. I felt you and I… uh…”

Anders nodded in understanding and smiled.

“This would be easier if one of us had a car.”

“It would. I’m just as glad you don’t right now though. You should definitely get out of those clothes before you catch a chill. I’d hate to be the reason you got a cold.”

Carver nodded and handed the towel to Anders. He peeled his shirt off and dropped it to the growing puddle on the floor at his feet. The towel was flipped over his shoulder and Anders disappeared into one of the bedrooms. In the last few weeks Carver had discovered Anders was a very tactile person. He loved being touched and reciprocated quite often. Most of the time all he had to do was hold hands with him to get rid of the insistent tug in his mind. There would be no touching until he wasn’t soaked however and working his wet jeans off was proving difficult.

His boxers went down with his jeans and rather than try to pull them apart he sighed and leaned on the door so he could pull off his sneakers. Carver hoped Anders took his time finding him something to wear. The thought of being naked in front of him made him a little uncomfortable. That hope was dashed as he straightened however, Anders was halfway to him from the hallway and staring with a bundle of clothes squashed between his hands. The sweatpants he wore did little to hide his interest.

Anders suddenly whipped around and said in a small voice, “Maker I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be… ogling you.”

“It’s all right,” Carver said as he finally extracted himself from his jeans. He bent to yank off his socks and wrapped the towel around his waist. “You can turn around now.”

“Here,” he said after a cautious look. Anders held out the clothes. “They’re Garrett’s but I’m sure he won’t mind. My room’s that one.”

Carver took the clothes and headed to the room Anders pointed to. Anders was kneeling by the door gathering up his wet clothes when he looked back. He flipped the light on and closed the door. After drying off a bit more Carver pulled on a pair of his brother’s sweatpants and an undershirt. The shirt was tight which was only marginally better than not wearing it.

There was no doubt Anders knew exactly how embarrassed and uncomfortable he was. Those were two emotions that came through the soul bond consistently. Hoping to calm himself, Carver looked around the room. The walls were bare and the bed unmade. An enormous body pillow sat on one side. Partway down the pillow was indented, squashed like Anders always held onto it right there. Carver turned away pretty sure he was blushing again.

After many questions and quite a bit of pestering Anders had told him of the dreams. He was pretty sure Anders was right and the dreams were a product of the bond to help him cope with the vast difference in their sex drives. That pillow almost surely was a surrogate for him. There was a knock on the door and Carver held in another sigh as he opened it.

“Everything all right?” Anders asked.

“Yeah,” Carver said gesturing over his shoulder. “I uh, found the pillow.”

“Ah,” Anders said. He smiled and shrugged. “It helps. I’ve got your things hanging in the bathroom and your phone tore apart on the kitchen table.”

“Mom will make me pay for it if it’s toast,” Carver grumbled.

“Hopefully it’ll work when it dries out. Would you rather have hot chocolate or tea?”

“Hot chocolate.”

“There’s a comforter on the couch if you’re cold. I’ll be just a minute.”

Carver sat on the old couch and pulled on a comforter that was bunched up on one side. A stuffed bear fell out of it. It was dark brown and dressed in old fashioned blue mage robes. He smiled as he picked it up. It had been a prize at one of those games they have around the food courts at circuses and amusement parks. They were more luck than skill but Carver had a knack for beating the odds. Normally he would have given the thing to Bethany or his mother but Anders had been right there. It was a pleasant surprise when Anders had tucked it under his arm when he’d offered it.

“Oh Maker,” Anders muttered.

Embarrassment flooded his mind as he looked up. Anders was flushed from the roots of his hair to below the neckline of his shirt. Carver was certain he’d been sitting here holding the thing while he waited and tracked Carver’s progress in his head. Rather than ask why he was embarrassed about holding onto a stuffed bear Carver offered it up to him. Anders set the mugs he held on the coffee table and smiled sheepishly as he took the bear and hugged it tightly. He focused on the mugs and Anders retreated to his room.

It took a few minutes for Anders to return to the living room. Carver cradled the mug and sipped at it as Anders settled under the comforter next to him. They watched the program that was playing but Carver couldn’t have said what it was if someone put a gun to his head. The awkwardness that hung between them grated on his nerves and he shook his head. He set his mug down and turned off the T.V.

“We didn’t want me here to embarrass each other,” Carver said irritably as he turned to face Anders. “So let’s… talk about it.”

“You sound like Bethany,” Anders said with a small smile.

“She was right before.” Carver shrugged, brought his knees up to his chest and hugged them. “I’ll even start if you want.”

“We don’t have to…”

“Yeah we do,” Carver interrupted. “I didn’t walk through that shit out there to sit here and be so… uncomfortable I can’t hold you the way you want me to.”

“I do want you to hold me,” Anders said angrily. “I don’t always think with my dick though and I don’t want sex right now. I’ll admit it’d probably be good for me to focus on something physical instead of the mess in my head. You aren’t comfortable with that though and _I really didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable._ But Carver… Andraste’s ass how am I supposed to react? You’re a god.”

“I know I’m attractive,” Carver snapped. “That’s not what made me uncomfortable. And sex doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that I have no desire for it and that’s all my friends talk about.”

Anders winced and gripped his arm briefly. “So what made you uncomfortable?”

“You avoided me for so long and now suddenly it’s okay to be together. It’s all still weird anyway and I’m not used to having someone else in my head. I knew I’d end up with you but… you’re Garrett’s friend. I feel like I’m going to be scolded or something.”

“I avoided you because I didn’t want to go to jail Carver. To be perfectly honest I’m still sort of terrified Leandra or Garrett will decide it’s not okay after all and I’ll be kicked out of another family. I keep reminding myself that you’re eighteen now and legal to make your own choices. No one can scold you for wanting to be with me.”

“Or for pulling my pants down in front of you.” Carver nodded and took a deep breath.

“Do you want a peek?” Anders asked seriously.

“Peek at what?” he said in confusion.

“Me,” Anders replied. “Sort of… even the field.”

He snorted in amusement and smiled. “Let it happen naturally.” Carver let one leg fall to the floor and scooted a little closer to Anders. “Your turn.”

Anders nodded and sighed. He leaned over a little and rested his cheek on Carver’s knee. “I told you about Karl. How he died in a car accident?”

“Yeah,” said Carver softly.

“It was a night like this,” Anders said flatly. “The other driver was going too fast and hydroplaned into oncoming traffic. Karl was killed instantly.”

Carver put one arm across the back of the couch and ran the fingers of his other through Anders’ loose hair. “I can’t imagine what that would be like. It was hard when Father passed away but… we knew.”

“It was heart breaking.” Anders wiggled around and settled more comfortably against him, an arm around his leg and resting on his thigh before he continued. “I like the rain normally but not when it does this. Before we bonded I could tell myself you were all right and I was being foolish. This time it… blindsided me. The clouds, the lightning. I knew it was going to pour and…you were out there somewhere and I was here alone. I… wanted you here with me. So badly.”

“I knew that,” said Carver softly. “I could feel it.”

“I’m not used to having someone else in my head either but I’m glad for that. Explaining this over the phone would be… horrible. Stay with me tonight? You could sleep on the couch if…”

“I’m not sleeping on the couch. If I stay here it’s going to be in your bed.”

“You’ve seen the pillow. And you know about the dreams. I can’t promise I won’t do something carnal against you in my sleep.”

“I know,” Carver said. “I’ll be embarrassed but I won’t run away.”

“Thank you Carver,” Anders said as he sat up and brushed at his cheeks. “I’ll refill these mugs and you can text your Mom. Let her know you’re here.”

“Unlock your phone for me. And what’s up with the bear?”

“It reminds me of you. And I really, really, really needed you to be safe so…”

Anders shrugged as he handed Carver his phone. Carver smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way and watched him retreat to the kitchen. In spite of the embarrassment both of them had in abundance so far this evening he was glad he braved the storm to get here. The reason Anders wanted him here was sobering but also heartening because maybe he wasn’t just Garrett’s little brother to him.

He had a short texted conversation with his Mother about staying here and why he was using Anders’ phone. Anders returned and they sat under the blanket together and watched a movie. It didn’t take long for Carver to put his arm around Anders shoulders or for Anders to snuggle up to him. He was glad it felt normal instead of awkward like it could have. They talked quietly and flipped channels, eventually leaving the warm comfort of the couch to warm up some soup for dinner. After that they ended up back on the couch. Carver slouched against the arm with Anders lying against him. 

“Well don’t you two just look adorable.”

The T.V. was still on but Garrett commanded all of his attention. Apparently they’d fallen asleep. Carver blinked and rubbed his eyes as his brother stood over him and smirked. Weight on his lower half finally drew some of his attention and he realized Anders was on his stomach. Anders’ head rested on his abdomen and his body lay between his legs with the blanket pulled up to his chin.

“Don’t be a dick,” Anders mumbled sleepily.

Garrett snorted and walked away. “Does Mom know you’re here?”

“Yes.” Carver ran his fingers through Anders hair and let his eyes drift shut briefly. He was comfortable for the moment and didn’t really want to move. “She knows I’m staying the night too.”

“Oh joy,” said Garrett sarcastically. “I suppose that’s better than Anders in your room though.”

“That would never happen,” Anders said. “The estate has guest rooms. We have a couch.”

“True. Seriously though if you feel frisky later just try not to wake me up.” Garrett appeared over him again. “I won’t tell Mom either. I’m pretty sure she knows sex is inevitable but I’m also pretty sure she’d have a fit if she knew.”

“How generous of you,” Anders said with a smirk as he sat up. “I thought you didn’t like the thought of us doing it either.”

“He’s my brother,” said Garrett with a theatrical shudder. “I don’t want to think of you two all sweaty and thrusting and…”

“Ugh. Stop,” Carver interrupted irritably. “It’s bad enough my friends won’t stop teasing me.”

“When you’re ready Carver,” Garrett said seriously. “You have a safe place and someone who will wait for you. And tell your friends to shove off.”

He disappeared again and Anders pulled him to a sitting position. “Does he know about… that?” Anders whispered.

Carver shook his head. “He knows I’m a virgin.”

“Stop whispering sweet nothings to each other over there and come have some pie before you go snuggle together in bed,” Garrett said loudly. “It’s apple.”

“Yummy,” Anders said grinning.

He leaned in and kissed the corner of Carver’s mouth before standing. Carver waited for the flutters in his stomach to settle before following, happy he’d made the soggy trek to be with his soulmate.


End file.
